Objectives: To characterise the outpatient morbidity pattern at the Traditional Medicine Department, Tien Giang provincial General Hospital (2022-2023), including ICD-10 chapter distribution and temporal changes in visit volume.
Method: Retrospective cross-sectional study of all outpatient traditional medicine records in 2022-2023. Data were extracted from the HIS and cleaned. Descriptive statistics were used; between-year comparisons employed χ² or Fisher’s exact test with p < 0.05.
Results: 10,432 eligible outpatient visits (2022: 2791; 2023: 7641). The ≥ 60-year age group accounted for 61% in both years; the male proportion increased by 6.96% (p = 0.01). ICD-10 Chapter XIII remained predominant but declined by 14.06% (p < 0.01), whereas Chapter XI rose by 9.89% (p < 0.01) and Chapter X by 3.59% (p < 0.01). Common primary diagnoses were degenerative spine disease (spondylosis), sciatica, and knee osteoarthritis; common comorbidities were gastroesophageal reflux disease and gastritis-duodenitis. Visit volumes increased over time following the facility relocation (2/2023).
Conclusion: Outpatient morbidity in traditional medicine remained dominated by musculoskeletal conditions, alongside rising burdens of digestive and respiratory diseases. Service planning should prioritise chronic pain and degenerative care packages, integrate digestive-metabolic screening, and align staffing and supplies with demand.